Experimental investigations of Non-Volatile particle number concentration from a range of multi-utility vehicles over emission cycle complying different norms

The current regulated particle metric in vehicle emissions is the total mass, while during last decade interest in number size distribution has increased. Various international studies on epidemiology and toxicology have reported the adverse effect of the particle matter on public health. The UNECE group of experts on pollution and energy (GRPE) under particle measurement program (PMP) are under the process of finalization long term certification standard concerning particle emissions. The current study was done in order to investigate the number concentration from a range of Indian multi utility vehicles. These were equipped with various sizes of diesel engine over the new European driving cycle (NEDC) cycle using same oil specification. The vehicles chosen were meeting emission norms ranging from Euro3 (E-3) to Euro5 (E-5) and using the corresponding fuel specification as specified for the norms. In order to meet the strict emission norms, penetration of common rail injection system in the Indian market is inevitable. The use of higher injection pressure, advanced after treatment systems such as diesel particle filters (DPF), is the motivation for the work to access the number concentration, an important metric of particle matter in view of future emission norms. It is clearly revealed that different vehicles equipped with different capacity engines exhibits similar diesel particle emission characteristics. Also, as the particle mass is decreasing with the stringent emission norms reduces the particle number concentration.